Transient signs warning of the risk of stroke in young children

In 2025, the Stroke Department of 108 Military Central Hospital will receive about 10-15% of patients being young, the main cause of which is cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage, including very young cases.

TQ born in 2011 discovered a brain hemorrhage from a transient headache.

Stroke, which used to be considered a disease of adults, is increasingly appearing in young people, with unclear symptoms but sudden and especially dangerous developments. 108 Military Central Hospital recently received many cases of stroke in children and adolescents, including a child only 8 years old.

Baby D.K born in 2017 ( Hanoi ) shocked many people. While studying, the baby suddenly collapsed on the table, the left side of his body was weak, this is a symptom of transient ischemic attack. Fortunately, teachers and friends discovered it in time, informed the family to take the baby to the hospital.

The CTA scan showed that the child had a cerebral infarction due to a dissection of the right middle cerebral artery, a rare condition in children. The patient underwent emergency intervention, balloon angioplasty and stent placement to reopen the artery. Thanks to being brought to the hospital early, K. has made an almost complete recovery, with no neurological sequelae.

Another case is a Chinese patient born in 2011 (old Ha Nam ). 10 days before being hospitalized, Q. had a severe headache and fainted at the commune health station. After taking medicine, he returned to normal but then the headache reappeared.

Dr. Nguyen Van Tuyen - Director of the Institute of Neurology and Head of the Stroke Department said that the 8-year-old child has now completely recovered.

At first, the family thought it was just a common cold, but to be sure, they took Q. to the hospital. A CTA scan revealed that Q. had a small brain hemorrhage due to a ruptured arteriovenous malformation in the right temporal region. After consultation, doctors at the Neurological Institute performed an intervention to plug the malformation and pseudoaneurysm. Currently, Q. has fully recovered.

The child’s mother shared: “I didn’t think he had a brain hemorrhage because he was completely healthy before. If I had known it was that serious, I would have taken him to the doctor sooner. I hope parents don’t be subjective when they see their children having headaches or strange symptoms.”

According to doctors, stroke intervention in children is much more difficult than in adults. Children's vascular systems are small and vulnerable, and inserting instruments into the vessels requires absolute precision. Currently, the Neurological Institute is treating 4 children aged 8-16 years old, which is a warning bell about the trend of this disease getting younger.

Dr. Nguyen Van Tuyen - Director of the Institute of Neurology and Head of the Stroke Department said that although stroke in children is still considered rare, in recent years the rate of young patients under 45 years old having strokes is increasing.

In 2025, the Stroke Department will have about 10-15% of patients being treated as young people, the main causes are cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage. In the young group, the mechanism of infarction is less related to atherosclerosis as in adults, but often comes from arterial dissection (this condition accounts for about 30-50% of very dangerous progression). Vascular dissection can occur when children play, run, jump, collide or turn their neck strongly causing damage to the endothelium, or due to vasculitis...

Stroke at any age is a race against time. Every minute, every second that passes, billions of nerve cells are irreversibly damaged. International recommendations indicate that thrombolytic treatment is effective within the first 3-4.5 hours; mechanical thrombectomy is usually performed within 6 hours.

However, the doctor emphasized that family members should not wait or rely on the “golden hours” to delay taking their children to the hospital. The later they arrive, the lower the chances of survival and recovery.

What is worrying is that strokes in children are easily missed because the symptoms are not typical and children have difficulty describing their feelings. Signs such as severe headache, weakness in the limbs, blurred vision, difficulty speaking, convulsions, sudden collapse... even if very mild need to be closely monitored. In many cases, parents think their children are tired or dizzy due to studying or a normal cold, leading to missing the golden time for treatment.

Dr. Nguyen Van Cuong, Department of Neurovascular Intervention, Institute of Neurology, currently there is no absolute method to prevent stroke in children because the cause is often unclear. But one thing is certain: early detection is the key to minimizing damage and protecting lives.

"Stroke can happen at any age, so the vigilance of family, teachers and the community is a decisive factor in the effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment for patients. Don't let subjectivity take away your child's opportunity," said Dr. Cuong.

HAI NGO

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nhung-dau-hieu-thoang-qua-canh-bao-nguy-co-dot-quy-nao-o-tre-nho-post928303.html